Lid-closing attachment for inkstands



(No Model.) I T. L. HARLOW.

LID CLOSING ATTACHMENT FOR INKSTANDS.

No. 539.809. 4 Patented May 28, 1895.

fi lTNESSES I 4; 6 47 E- 7' q 4 W flaw 31% A rromvfrs.

' UNITED STATES PATENT 'FFICE.

THEODORE L. HARLOW, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

LID-CLOSING ATTACHMENT FOR INKSTANDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,809, dated May 28, 1895. Application filed April 10,1894. Serial No. 507,066. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, THEODORE L. HARLOW, of Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lid Closing Attachments for Inkstands, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an improved attachable device forinkstands, that is adapted to be opened by the pen-stockor holder and closed by the weight of the lid.

The object is to provide a novel, simple and cheap device of the character indicated, that is arranged to clasp upon the body of the inkstand, and afford hinged support to a lid for the ink-well, which will be automatically elevated from a closed position by contact of the pen holder with a rocking frame that is part of the device, the lid closing by its gravity after receiving impetus from'the rocking i movement of the frame that lifts the lid, and

that permits the lid to remain elevated a fraction of time sufficient to allow the pen to be removed from the ink-well without obstruction or contact with moving parts.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combinationof parts, as is hereinafter described and indicated in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in position on an inkstand, showing the relative position of parts with the lid in closed adjustment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the novel attachment on an inkstand, showing the lid opened bythe impinge of a pen-holder on a movable part of the device. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the improved inkstand attachment, showing the lid in a horizontal position and other parts in the relative positions they assume when the lid is closed; and Fig. 4 is a side view of the improved attachment in position on an inkstand, showing the lid in a perpendicular position and other parts adjusted to permit an elevation of the lid.

The entire device except the lid is" preferably formed of silvered wire, having a suitable, thickness or gage to affordstability, and avoid clumsiness and objectionable weight, the wire material being somewhat elastic.

WVhile it is feasible to shape the clasping portion of the attachment to embrace a poly, onal or circular walled inkstand, it is illustrated as formed to clasp the body of the rect-- angular inkstand 10, which maybe formed of glass or any other suitable material.

Theparts of the wire structure that are provided to clasp the body of .theinkstand on its sides,- consist of two nearly similar wire sections 11, 12,'which are given a rectangular looped form, and are made of such proportions that they will embracethe four walls of the inkstand 10, these parts being oppositely joined by their'members 11, 12 to the horizontal and parallel portions 13, of another part of the frame of whichthe wire posts 13 are vertical members. From the parts 13, two short upright 'pieces 13 are projected at points near the junctions of two outer and rear members 11 of the rear elasping loopsection 12, these uprights forming supports for a transverse rod 14 that is connected to their upper ends and is horizontally disposed. The section 12 that engages the forward portion of the inkstand 10, has its depending side portions bent at a right angle so as to project forwardly, as shown at 12", these horizontal parts of the clasping section being joined at their front terminals by a transverse wire rod 12 that is adapted to have contact with the front wall of the inkstand.

There are opposite horizontal portions 11 formed on the depending portions of the clasping frame section 11, which parts 11 are bent toward each other at their rear corners 11, so as to extend in the same horizontalplane, these portions of the frame section 11 being short and of equal length joining at their nearest ends the upright portions 11 so that the two frame sections 11,12, are by theirformation and slight elasticity, adapted to clasp the inkstand 10 on its four sides when pressed down upon it from above.

The vertical wire posts 13 are sufficiently spaced apart to afiord room between them for the ink-wellor cavity 10 of theinkstand, and

are afforded a suitable height to permit the correct operation of other parts that are con nected to them.

As shown there is a horizontal cross rod 15, secured by its ends to the posts 13 near their upper ends, the latter being bent toward each other above the rod mentioned.

A rocking frame 16, 16 is part of the improvement, and consists of a rectangular wire structure, which is formed in two widths by bending the material at each side into a substantially Z-form, as'shown at 16 these bends being made near the longitudinal center of the frame. The portion 16 which is of the least width, has two ring eyes 16,formed in its side members near the laterally and outwardly projecting short portions 16 these eyes being loosely engaged with the transverse rod 15, which serves as a pintle rod for the rocking frame.

The production of the ring eyes 16 divides the rocking frame into two integral portions, the narrower part 16 being diverged from the other part 16, so as to normally project forwardly and downwardly from the pintle rod 15, which is effected by the superior weight of the frame portion 16, that is given an angular bend at 16 on each side bar of the same, so that the lower cross bar 16 of the rocking frame will be projected toward the transverse rod 14, and lie above the plane of the latter a sufficient degree, to permit the proper engagement of another part of the device With the cross bar named.

The inkstand lid 10 is formed of any suit able material, and consists of a fiat plate having an area sufficient to cover a raised flat border that surrounds the ink-well 10*, so that the imposition of the lid on the border projection will seal the ink-well.

Thelid 10 is hinge jointed upon the rod 14, near its ends and outside of the short upright supports for said rod, which serves to prevent a lateral displacement of the lid. From the transverse center and rear edge of the lid 10", a guard hook bar 17 is projected upwardly and forwardly, said hook being shaped substantially as represented, comprising a wire bar of proper length, that is slightly curved to give it a bowed form, and at its forward end has a portion ret urn bent, so as to produce the hook 17.

The parts of the device are so proportioned that the hook bar 17 will be permitted to rest on the lower transverse frame piece 16 and slide on it as the frame 16, 16 is moved. A prop piece 18 is projected rearwardly from the guard hook bar 17, this part being of such a relative length as will permit the lid to as-- sumo a vertical position when the free end of the prop piece is seated on the inkstand, or against the rear edge of the flat raised border whereon the lid is imposed when in closed adjustment.

The ink-well being supplied with ink and the lid closed, the parts will assume the relative positions indicated in Fig. 1, which causes the cross bar 16 to be projected in advance of the lid and above it a proper distance.

In use, the operator with a pen holder in hand, causes the latter and the attached pen to approach the center of the lid. When the pen-holder 19 is thus made to impinge the upper cross barlti of the rocking frame portion 16, and slight pressure is produced against said part of the frame, the rear pendent part 16 will be rocked upwardly, which will elevate the lid l0 into a vertical position as indicated in Fig. 2, the hook 17 then having an engagement with the lower cross bar 16 thereby arresting the further vibration of the rocking frame, while the prop-piece 18 maintains the lid in an upright position, so that the operator can with freedom insert the pen 20, into the ink. As the holder 19 is withdrawn from contact with the rocking frame portion 16, the rearward overhang of the hook bar 17, will prevent the lid from closing immediately, it remaining a fraction of time in an upright position, or until the gravity of the heavier rear pendent part 16% of the rocking frame causes said part to collide with the lid on its return to a'normal position, thereby tilting the lid forwardly, so that its own weight will be adapted to close it over the ink-well 10% It is evident that slight changes in the design of parts of the improvement may be made within the scope of the invention, and that other material than wire can be used in its production. Hence, I do not wish to be limited to the exact shapes given to the parts of the device in the drawings, or to confine the construction of the same to wire rod as a material for its formation.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a supporting frame, adapted to be seated upon an ink- .stand, and a self-closing lid hinged in said frame, of a swinging lever pivoted above the lid and connected with a projection of the same, a portion of said lever standing forward from the lid, whereby it is adapted for contact with a pen holder held vertically and moved toward the center of the lid, as shown and described.

2. The frame, carrying a hinged lid and swinging lever for operatingit, the same having a base portion adapted to'rest upon an inkstand, and elastic portions pendent from said base and adapted to clasp the sides of the inkstand, as shown and described.

3. The combination with an inkstand, of two united clasping frame sections, two upright posts thereon, a lid hinged on the rear section of the clasping frame, and a vibratile frame supported on a cross bar between the the posts one portion inclining forwardly and the heavier part rearwardly above the lid,

said frame'beingadapted to open the lid when moved from the front, and close said lid I 5 by return to a normal position, substantially as described.

THEODORE L. HARLOW.

Witnesses:

EDWARD S. DOW, FRANK H. GREEN. 

